Before Our Dawn| ongoing

sixty-two

Chapitre soixante-deux
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"There you go. All done," the doctor said, stepping back to admire his handiwork as he secured the final piece of the cast on Klaus's arm.

Klaus, sitting still in the chair, furrowed his brows as he looked down at the stiff white casing that now encased his right arm from elbow to wrist. He wiggled his fingers experimentally, his lips forming a pout as he frowned. "It feels heavy," he muttered with uncertainty, as if it was something he hadn't expected.

The ship's doctor, an elderly man with kind eyes, a neatly trimmed green moustache, and a shiny bald head, chuckled warmly. "That's because it's there to help you heal," he explained, crouching down slightly to meet Klaus's eye level. "It might feel a little strange for a while, but before you know it, you'll get used to it. And who knows," he added, his voice brightening with a touch of mischief, "maybe you can find some fun colours to decorate it with, make it something special."

The idea sparked immediately in Heidi, who had been quietly standing beside Marcel, her big eyes glued to Klaus's arm the whole time. Her face lit up with excitement, her small hands clasped together as she bounced eagerly on her heels. "Can I draw on it, Klaus?" she asked. She could barely contain herself at the thought. "We could put stars and boats all over it!" she squealed, her eyes dancing with imagination.

Klaus's frown began to ease as he glanced at his little sister, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards ever so slightly. The excitement in her voice was contagious, and though the cast still felt strange and foreign on his arm, the thought of it being covered in Heidi's colorful drawings seemed to make it a bit more bearable. "Yes," he murmured after a moment. "I guess that'd be nice."

He looked up at Marcel for reassurance, his young eyes searching his face for any sign that things would be okay. "Will it be alright?" he asked quietly.

Marcel smiled down at him, warmth radiating in his expression as he reached out to ruffle Klaus's hair affectionately, the familiar gesture bringing comfort to the boy. "Of course it will," Marcel said with confidence. "We'll make it the best-looking cast around," he promised, winking at Heidi, whose excitement seemed to grow even more at the prospect.

Klaus smiled fully now.

After thanking the doctor and gathering their things, Marcel led Klaus and Heidi out of the infirmary, Klaus cradling his newly wrapped arm as they made their way back toward their cabin. The hallways were quiet, save for the soft creaking of the ship as it moved through calmer waters now, the earlier storm a distant memory. The air smelled faintly of salt, and the wooden floor beneath their feet had a comforting familiarity, as if the ship itself were finally at peace after the conundrum.

Heidi skipped ahead, her excitement from the doctor's suggestion still bubbling over. She kept glancing back at Klaus's cast, her eyes wide with ideas about how they could decorate it. "Maybe we can make it look like a treasure map! Or-oh, oh! We could draw a sea monster, and it could go all the way around!" she exclaimed.

Klaus smiled at her, feeling a little more like himself now, though he still held his arm gingerly, as if afraid the cast might crack if he moved too quickly. "A sea monster sounds fun," he said softly, his eyes flicking up toward Marcel, who smiled encouragingly.

"Sounds like it's going to be a work of art," Marcel agreed.

They approached their cabin door. He pushed it open gently, the familiar smell of wood and fabric greeting them as they stepped inside.

Isra was inside, standing by the small table, tidying up the remnants of the earlier chaos. A few of Klaus's toys were scattered across the floor, and she was carefully picking them up, her movements precise and methodical, as if keeping busy helped settle her mind. As they entered, she turned around, her sharp gaze immediately finding Klaus. Her eyes softened when they landed on the cast wrapped around his arm, and she set the toys down on the table, her hands momentarily pausing as she took in the sight of her son. Her lips curved into a gentle smile, small but warm, the kind that held a thousand unspoken words-relief, love, and a quiet strength that only a mother could convey.